Charity initiative puts old lights to good use

A new charitable initiative aims to put last season’s lights to good use, donating outdated models of lighting fixtures to deserving community projects.

Organised by Michael Grubb Studio, Re:Lit s asking manufacturers to donate superseded, damaged or ex-demo lighting to community venues in need of an upgrade - and offers to design and coordinate the projects for free. A number of lighting manufacturers have already signed up to the initiative, including Mike Stoane, Architainment, ACDC, iGuzzini and Ecosense.

‘The idea is to get rid of the old lighting and replace it with something spectacular and sustainable, for free,’ says Michael Grubb, lighting designer and founder of Re:Lit. ‘All the old lighting will be recycled and the project will aim to cut energy consumption by 50 per cent.’

All types of lighting products can be donated to Re:Lit, as long as they are energy efficient, safe and properly certified. To take part, manufacturers provide a list of the equipment they are willing to donate, along with a pledge for its use.

To begin with, Re:Lit aims to organise one community project per year. The first venue to be relit is the 200-seat Shelley Theatre at Boscombe Manor near Bournemouth, built by the son of Frankenstein author Mary Shelley and currently lit with 8kW tungsten floodlights.

Grubb said: ‘Re:Lit won’t change the world, but it will help promote the lighting industry and save energy for some very deserving projects. And it will fulfil your equipment’s lighting destiny.’